Difficulty booking with Virgin Select Flight Voucher! Updated- Booked

[CC71]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

The Gatwick to Orlando route has had very few Miles flights for August 18 as I am watching it like a hawk

I am holding two UC vouchers and one PE voucher.
To use them we are considering a sneaky trip to Boston from LHR and also maybe doing the Miami route. The latter one has tons of Miles availability

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I hope you get what you want Mr T M! I'm finding the process of ringing everyday very tiresome, especially as I'm yet to speak to anyone who seems interested in helping me

[CC71]

Originally Posted by ellie-mai

We had 4 red select vouchers from Virgin and also naively took their 'can be used anytime for any direct route we fly' statement at face value. We tried desperately for 18 months to use them, phoning daily for the entire summer holidays from the day they were released onwards - to no avail.

We gave in eventually and put the vouchers in my parents name as they are retired and more flexible with travel dates. Even they have really struggled to use them on all but the very cheapest out of season dates.

I've expressed my displeasure with their system (it got me nowhere). I've written to ask to extend the validity of the vouchers (which they agreed to).

Points to note:
Basically certain routes such as MAN-MCO have very few seats in that class, and these are often snapped up by the staff.
Other routes have more availability.
You do not have to fly into and out of the same airport, so that might help if you wanted to do a multi-centre holiday somewhere.
Phone every day as availability is released at different times.
You can change your dates for free as many times as you like within the validity of the voucher - so if your outward date is available, book it, then alter the return date if and when it becomes available.
You have to be flexible as it's highly unlikely you'll get just what you want.
We've found the call centre staff can be quite unhelpful when you ask about availability.

We've ended up using them MAN-JFK and MAN-ATL then pay for the internal flight down to MCO. Gatwick has more availability than Manchester.

You can also ask them to be transferred into virgin miles, but then when you use these miles to book flights you would be eligible for the taxes - so not really cost effective but better than letting them go to waste.

Overall, not quite the experience we expected!

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Thank you for sharing your experience and sorry to hear that it was difficult for you too. I do feel that we were misled when offered these vouchers, as the check in staff definitely told us, like you, that they are no strings attached free return flights. Well they might be 'fee free' but they are not 'freely available' I guess this is a prime example of 'there's no such thing as a free lunch' We were involuntarily downgraded too so didn't have any choices other than this. Having chatted our very limited options through, my husband and I are going to ask if we can turn the vouchers into miles as I don't have the time or the energy to waste phoning VA on a daily basis!

Thanks again

[CC71]

Well thank you to the fabulous Zenga, who has restored my faith in VA customer service, we have managed to book Heathrow to Miami, outbound 12/09/18, returning 27/09/18 Miami to Heathrow. Although we fly out a day earlier and it isn't our first choice routing, I am very happy to have flights booked. Zenga also told us that if reward 'p' class fares do pop for Orlando we can change our dates free of charge It is amazing how speaking to someone who is knowledgeable about their product and seems to genuinely want to help changes how you feel about a company and it's service. I have written an email to Zenga's manager, complimenting her on her great customer service and I hope she gets the recognition she deserves.

If anyone needs the number to speak to the team who specialise in Select voucher bookings it's 0344 873 7390

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread

[TillySmith]

Originally Posted by CC71

Well thank you to the fabulous Zenga, who has restored my faith in VA customer service, we have managed to book Heathrow to Miami, outbound 12/09/18, returning 27/09/18 Miami to Heathrow. Although we fly out a day earlier and it isn't our first choice routing, I am very happy to have flights booked. Zenga also told us that if reward 'p' class fares do pop for Orlando we can change our dates free of charge It is amazing how speaking to someone who is knowledgeable about their product and seems to genuinely want to help changes how you feel about a company and it's service. I have written an email to Zenga's manager, complimenting her on her great customer service and I hope she gets the recognition she deserves.

If anyone needs the number to speak to the team who specialise in Select voucher bookings it's 0344 873 7390

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread

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Hi, Zenga helped us a couple of years ago, she is very knowledgeable as you say. Our's was not a select voucher query but she found us a very good upgrade price. She also emailed us after our trip to make sure all had gone well. Good to know she is carrying on the good work.

[baboons]

Great news!

[CC71]

Originally Posted by TillySmith

Hi, Zenga helped us a couple of years ago, she is very knowledgeable as you say. Our's was not a select voucher query but she found us a very good upgrade price. She also emailed us after our trip to make sure all had gone well. Good to know she is carrying on the good work.

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Zenga is fabulous, I hope she receives the recognition she deserves!

[CC71]

Originally Posted by baboons

Great news!

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Thank you, we are very pleased and relieved as it was getting to be a stressful daily call!